Hey Spark pilots,
Reading about some Sparks occasionally ejecting batteries in flight had me worried. I looked at the available solutions like 3D printed straps or rubber bands. The rubber band solution wouldn't work for me as the battery seemed to be pushed back with quite some force after pulling back the black grips. This had me thinking. What generates the force and why would it be necessary? After closer inspection I found the reason for the relatively strong force.
Spark's batteries are held in place by four "tounge" hooks (for a lack of better words) and the front of the battery sliding under the frame. The battery is secured by the two little triangular tabs. The two tounge hooks' counterparts for what I call mounting point #2 (please see pictures) have a tiny black tab under them. These two tabs are spring loaded and generate the force that pushes out the battery once it is released manually or the little triangular tabs fail.
So the idea is simply to reduce or remove the spring load. No force would be generated any more trying to eject the battery. I believe even without a now feasible little rubber band the battery wouldn't slide out in case the triangular tabs fail as the six electrical connectors generate enough friction for the battery not just sliding out.
Would there be any side effects? I think no as the battery is attached to the frame at three different mounting points. The only difference will be you'd have to pull on the battery while sliding the grips back to release it.
How can the spring load be reduced? One option would be to take apart the frame and remove the springs and little tabs for the frame side hooks of mounting point #2. The other option is to partially or totally remove the tongues at the battery side mounting point #2. The battery would still be held in place as Mounting points #1 and #3 are sufficient.
Anyone looked at this already? As this is solution is in the idea stage no field tests were performed. Anybody with a dead battery out there willing to cut the batteries mounting point #2 tabs to give a try?
What do you think?
Michael
Reading about some Sparks occasionally ejecting batteries in flight had me worried. I looked at the available solutions like 3D printed straps or rubber bands. The rubber band solution wouldn't work for me as the battery seemed to be pushed back with quite some force after pulling back the black grips. This had me thinking. What generates the force and why would it be necessary? After closer inspection I found the reason for the relatively strong force.
Spark's batteries are held in place by four "tounge" hooks (for a lack of better words) and the front of the battery sliding under the frame. The battery is secured by the two little triangular tabs. The two tounge hooks' counterparts for what I call mounting point #2 (please see pictures) have a tiny black tab under them. These two tabs are spring loaded and generate the force that pushes out the battery once it is released manually or the little triangular tabs fail.
So the idea is simply to reduce or remove the spring load. No force would be generated any more trying to eject the battery. I believe even without a now feasible little rubber band the battery wouldn't slide out in case the triangular tabs fail as the six electrical connectors generate enough friction for the battery not just sliding out.
Would there be any side effects? I think no as the battery is attached to the frame at three different mounting points. The only difference will be you'd have to pull on the battery while sliding the grips back to release it.
How can the spring load be reduced? One option would be to take apart the frame and remove the springs and little tabs for the frame side hooks of mounting point #2. The other option is to partially or totally remove the tongues at the battery side mounting point #2. The battery would still be held in place as Mounting points #1 and #3 are sufficient.
Anyone looked at this already? As this is solution is in the idea stage no field tests were performed. Anybody with a dead battery out there willing to cut the batteries mounting point #2 tabs to give a try?
What do you think?
Michael
